ACADEMY: Skelton resumes coaching position

Carlisle United Football Club can confirm that Gavin Skelton has rejoined the club as the Professional Development Phase Coach within the Academy structure.

Skelton, 37, was with local club Workington last week as first team manager, but resigned from that position following their 1-1 draw with Stafford Rangers on Saturday.

Director of football David Holdsworth said: “Gavin [Skelton] told us over the Christmas period that he was thinking of going to Workington. He went down there, but he’s had a change of heart.

“Gavin is now back with us as our Professional Development Phase Coach, and he’s very happy to be here.”

“Like I say, he had a change of heart, and that happens in football," he continued. "He’s told me he spoke to the Workington chairman and gave him his honest assessment of things and, having not signed a contract there, he was free to do whatever he wanted to do.

“He’s returned to his previous role here, which we’re pleased about, because as we said at the time, we didn’t want to let him go.”

Skelton initially joined the club’s academy in the summer of 2017 to assist manager Darren Edmondson with the running of the under-18 side.

He came through the Carlisle United Centre of Excellence system, joining the club as an eight-year-old, and played both sides of the border with over 200 appearances for Gretna in a seven-year stay one of the highlights of his career.

He had a brief spell as player-manager with the Reds during the 2014/15 season before moving north to take the job with the Doonhamers.